I have heard this before but I have always misunderstood the fatwa, and now that I have read it english and in arabic I am confused. It seems to me, based on what I read, it is saying you should only remove it in the house of those close to you (mahrams and relatives) when there are no men around (of course) but you shouldn't remove it in other's people houses or for haflas or anything. So, I guess what I am trying to find out is whether this hadith refers to removing the clothes, the outergarments, or the hijab itself? Anyone have the sharh for this hadeeth?

It is proven in the hadeeth that a woman is forbidden to take off her clothes anywhere other than her husband's house. What is the purpose of that prohibition? Is she allowed to take off her clothes in the house of her own family or her relatives?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

The hadeeth which was narrated by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and al-Haakim from `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) says: "Any woman who takes off her clothes anywhere but in her husband's house has torn the veil that was between her and Allaah (i.e., He will expose her)."

A version that was narrated by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani, al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqi from Abu Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) says: "Any woman who takes off her clothes, Allaah will tear His cover away from her (i.e., expose her)."

What the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant was to stop women treating as insignificant the matter of removing their clothes anywhere but in their husband's houses in such a manner that their `awrah can be seen and that they may be accused of intending to commit immoral actions and the like. As for taking off their clothes in a safe place, such as in her family's house or her mahram's house, to change her clothes and the like, or to relax etc and for other permissible purposes that are far removed from fitnah, there is nothing wrong with that.

I've also understood it as the clothing and not hijaab. If you notice in both hadeeths it says ثيابها and not hijab. Not removing the hijab at all in front of other women sounds a bit too extreme. Doesn't the ayah in Surat An-Noor say we can remove our hijaab in front of our mahaarim and other women?

That is how I understood it as well but I have also seen a lot of knowledgeable women who keep their hijab on at other people's houses because of this reason (they take it off at their own house of course, as well as their close relatives, and their in-law's houses) as well as a lot of knowledgeable women who remove their hijab at other people's houses; so I am unsure. And I don't really have any proof one way or the other? I guess I would need to get the sharh of the hadith or something; maybe I will send it in for a fatwa about whether it regards hijab or the outergarment or the clothes inshaAllah.

asalamu alaykum,i read this hadeeth in the book "al kabair(major sins)" by adh dhahabi. I am confused , is this hadeeth even saheeh because they didnt mention its authenticity? and I always understood "thiyabaha"it as outer garments as well as hijab.

It is saheeh; narrated by Imam Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and al-Haakim from A'ishah ra and also by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani, al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqi from Abu Umaamah. And the Lajnah Daa'imah issued a fatwa regarding this hadeeth so that in itself, is a proof it is saheeh. I also thought thiyabaha referred to hijab but I am not 100 percent.

Assalaam alaikum,In surah An-Noor aayah 58, thiyaabakum is definitely talking about clothes and not hijaab because the aayah refers to who have not reached puberty and the slaves needing to ask permission to enter the room at three times, one of them being the noon time {rest period} حين تضعون ثيابكم "when you put aside your clothing" . Again, I am not a scholar to comment on the hadeeth, but I am just pointing out the removing thiyaabakum doesn't necessarily mean hijab, but certainly means clothes as we do not have to wear hijaab in front of young children and slaves. Also the aayah is referring to both men and women removing their [your] clothes (thiyaabakum).

The Hijaab is a ShieldThe prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Allah, Most High, is Heaven, is Ha'yeii (Bashful), Sit'teer (Shielder). He loves Haya' (Bashfulness) and Sitr (Shielding; Covering)." The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband's house (to show off for unlawful purposes), has broken Allah's shield upon her."

Subhanaallah, I totally forgot about this post. I actually received an answer from a qualified person which really cleared things up for me, however, since it is not available online or from a fatwa website (I asked via telephone), I didn't post it here.